Dragon's Destiny
by Myla Minoki
Summary: 1 year after his trip home from the past, Trunks returns, with someone else? CHAPTER 13 UP!
1. Friends

"All done Trunks?"  
  
"Nearly finished Mom, just have to finish bolting it down."  
  
Bulma wisked back into the house to make some tea for her son, for a job well done. Trunks lept off the roof and landed quietly on the ground. Fixing up Capsule Corp was hard work but someone had to do it. He casually walked inside as Bulma finished with the tea.  
  
"Here you go Trunks."  
  
"Just a sec mom, I need to see if it works or not."  
  
He walked over to the T.v. and hit the power. Trunks crossed his fingers as it flikkered and serged. Then it flashed clear.  
  
"Welcome to the Neo Earth Network, bringing you the storys of past and present and the hope of the future."  
  
"Hey mom! It works!"  
  
"Great job Trunks, this will help us out a lot with seeing how the other parts of Earth are rebuilding. Flying around all day gets tairing."  
  
She handed him his tea and they sat down to watch. As Trunks saw all the work and effort of rebuilding, he couldn't help wondering how the other earth, the one in the past, was rebuilding after it own run in with the andriods. One thought lead to anouther and he was thinking about Gohan again. Gohan had always been his friend, in his own time and the past. Everyone he had known in the past was dead here, except for the one person who mattered, his mom. Yeah, he was a momma's boy but he couldn't help wondering what life would have been like without the andriods. If only he could see a time like that. What! He could!  
  
"Trunks? Are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah mom, i'm fine."  
  
He sat silent but the thought of him seeing his friends again was almost to mush to bear.  
  
"Mom, will the power cells on the time machine work again?"  
  
"Why do you ask Trunks?"  
  
"I want to go back again."  
  
"I see."  
  
She turned away from him. He put his hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Mom, i'm coming back. I just want to see if their okay."  
  
"It's not that dear, I just want to go with you.....but I can't."  
  
"Can't you make a bigger one? We can both go if you want."  
  
She turned back around to face him. There were tears in her eyes but a look of totally determination on her face.  
  
"Let's do it." 


	2. Family

"Hey Mom, I'm home!"  
  
"I'm back here Gohan."  
  
"I got everything you need, milk, eggs, flour, and everything else."  
  
"Good job Gohan. Now Upstairs. It's your study time."  
  
"Okay mom."  
  
As he began to walk upstairs he turned around.  
  
"You be careful mom. I don't want my little sister getting hurt."  
  
"Don't worry Gohan, I'm fresh as a daisy. Nothing could......."  
  
She dropped the spatula in her hand and fell back against the table.  
  
"Mom!"  
  
Gohan hurried down to her.  
  
"Mom, is it time?"  
  
"Yes, Gohan I think so. Call your grampa."  
  
"OH no, I'm getting you to the car first."  
  
He held on to his pregnant mother. There was no way he was leaving her side. Chi-chi was fighting off the pain like a true warrior. Gohan shut the door and like bolt, loaded the car and got the phone.  
  
Ox King herd the phone and got up.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Gramps, it's Gohan. We need to go NOW. My mom's already. I'm driving the car up. Bye"  
  
CLICK  
  
Gohan rushed to the car and got in the driver's seat.  
  
"I talked to Gramps, he's whating at the house. How are you doing Mom?"  
  
"There only small pains Gohan, I can fight 'em. Just remember to focus on the road."  
  
"Right." Gohan started the car and took off. 


	3. Choices

Trunks and his Mom worked day and night. For the most part, It was all about taking the old parts off, enlarging them and putting them back together. In a week, in was finished.  
  
"So mom, what do we call it? We can't call it Hope any more, she looks differant."  
  
"How about Faith. That's what we used to build her."  
  
"Faith. good call. I'll get the paint."  
  
Bulma just stood their and admired her work while Trunks scrambled to get the black paint. It finally hit her then, she was going to see Vegeta. The man she fell in love with and lost too soon. She remember Trunks telling her how mush he changed from the Vegeta she knew, his darkness being melted away by his new home and friends. The Vegeta she knew was arrogent, self-centered and rude. The part of Vegeta she fell in love with was his sheer willpower. It blow her away. Maybe that was why he was gone. His will to defeat the andriods was so strong, he didn't run when he should have, and they killed him for it.  
  
"Mom, I found the paint."  
  
"Okay Trunks, go ahead."  
  
With a large paint brush and a few quick strokes he was done.  
  
"I crissen thee, Faith."  
  
"Good job Trunks now let's get supplys so we can go."  
  
"Woo Hoo!"  
  
He somersalted over her and into the house. She had never seen him so happy, his friends from the past ment alot to him and she knew it.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Dende stood next to Mr. Popo. He had been having strange visions of the future that he didn't seem to grasp. Now he was having those same dreams while awake and it was terifieying him.  
  
"Mr. Popo, we may have anouther enemy on our hands."  
  
"Can you see what it is yet Dende?"  
  
"No, but I have a bad felling that our world is about to get much darker then it has in a year. I fear maybe even darker then that. We might need the dragonballs, so i'm sending you to go get them. Also, I'm going to otherworld to talk to King Yama, we might need Goku back and im sure King Yama will give him a 'get out of death free card' if we try hard enough."  
  
"Yes Dende, I'll go at once to find the dragonballs."  
  
"And Mr. Popo, don't tell any of the z senchi. We have to find out what this darkness is first, then we can take appropriate action."  
  
"Yes Dende."  
  
Mr. Popo's flying carpet appeared and he flew away on his mission.  
  
"I just hope when we find what this darkness is, before something terrible happens."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ox King drove them all home 2 days later: Gohan, Chi-chi and the new baby. Gohan wasn't very cheerful.  
  
"What is it honey?"  
  
"I'm just kind of bubbed I didn't get a sister."  
  
"Why Gohan, I'm suprized at you. You should be happy you have a brother, you're always telling me how you have no one the train with anymore."  
  
"Yeah, your right."  
  
Chi-chi could still tell Gohan was upset.  
  
"I'll make you a deal, I really wasn't expexcting anouther boy eather so I really didn't plan on a name for him. That's your new job gohan, finding your brother a name."  
  
"Really?! You mean it?"  
  
"Absolutly. And no matter what you pick I'll be happy with."  
  
That last part she said with a heavy heart. Gohan looked down at the little buddle in his mother's arms. Gohan was reminded of his dad the way the baby's hair sprung out in differant directions like a tree.  
  
"I hope I pick a nice name for you little brother." 


	4. Entry

"All systems go. Were ready for take-off."  
  
"You don't have to act all professional about it, Trunks."  
  
"Sorry. I just get into the part and can't help it."  
  
Bulma shock her head. Her son. For the longest time his sweetness and his goodness had proved a lethel conbination to her character. He was to only one she knew who could make everything seem so great. He was her lifeline. She never told him, but she had spent many a sleepless night worring about him.  
  
"Mom? You okay?"  
  
"Yeah, honey. Just thinking that's all."  
  
"Can you tell me what about?"  
  
"Maybe later."  
  
Bulma typed on her keypad, getting the math right for the trip. She didn't want them getting blown into the wrong time or worse, the wrong planet in the wrong time. Trunks typed in the start up codes he had to memorize for the first trip. Trunks was so excited but he managed to bottle it up just enough to keep focused on the job at hand.  
  
"Ready for you, mom."  
  
Bulma calmly walked over and began to type in the right coordinates. Trunks could sence something was truly wrong with his mother.  
  
"Mom, please tell me what's wrong. Are you worried about seeing him again? Or anyone else?"  
  
"I'm not worried about seeing him. I'm worried about seeing HER."  
  
"Her who?"  
  
"Myself, with a man still in her life and a bright future. Not torn by years of raising a son alone and running from those...... beasts."  
  
Trunks could fell her anger build. If she was a sayian, Trunks knew she would've hit super sayian mode.  
  
"Mom, It's okay. We don't have to go. Really."  
  
"No, Trunks. I want to go. I want to see what I would have become. I want to see what kind of woman is going to raise one of the greatest Z senchi ever."  
  
"Now mom. Flattery isn't going to let you get away with that answer. why your so angry? I can fell it. I'm not taking off til you tell me why your so ticked."  
  
"I'm mad at myself and I'm mad at those lunitics for making you risk your life but mostly, I'm mad at the future we have to live in while you save a past that won't know my pain!"  
  
Tears were welding up in her eyes. She suddenly realized it and used all her strength to pull them back, to seal her pain within herself, as she always did.  
  
"Mom, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean,"  
  
"Trunks. Stop. You were worried about me. You have a right to know what's worng with me. I'm the one who should be sorry. Sorry I let my feelings make you fell bad. You have other things to worry about, like how happy everyone will be when they see you again."  
  
Trunks only nodded. He returned to his keyboard and finished the start up commands.  
  
"All done Trunks. Let's go back in time shall we?"  
  
Bulma walked over and sat down in the side chair and buckled up. Trunks sat down in the pilot chair. He typed in the ignition code. The time machine floated smoothly into the air. The machine vibrated slightly and the view around the dome began to fuzz then blead together like water splashed on an oil painting. Bulma closed her eyes and clutched her chair. The world around them shattered and they blasted into a tunnel. The G's died quickly and Bulma opened her eyes.  
  
"Oh wow. So this is what time looks like."  
  
The tunnel they were in was a whirl of blue, purple and black. Streeks of light like shooting stars blew past them.  
  
"Those must be time beacons."  
  
"Time beacons?"  
  
"Points in time when something great, be it bad or good, happened. They mark where anouther alternate universe is attached. Our world is marked by one."  
  
"Oh, so thats what happened."  
  
"What?"  
  
"When I came home the first time, I fell into one of those. That's why I asked so many questions when I came home."  
  
"Oh, I remember. I felt like I was talking to a two year old."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Not in a bad way! The last time I had to answer that many questions was when you WERE two."  
  
"Well, when I came back the second time, it happened again so I guessed it was normal."  
  
"Quite. So what else happened the first time you went through?"  
  
"Nothing much.......except the exit."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"You'll see."  
  
For some reason, Bulma got a sinking felling in her stomach. She was again rethinking her trip into the past. 


	5. Exit

"Oh man. Making a name is harder then I thought."  
  
"Any luck yet sweety?"  
  
"No mom. I do know that I want to have Go in the beginning because of dad and I. The hard part is finding something to pair with it."  
  
"Well, keep at it Gohan. Your little brother needs a name before he gets too big."  
  
"Okay mom."  
  
As he thought a power level washed over him. He froze. Chi-chi saw him and strightened up.  
  
"Gohan, are you getting that funny energy feeling?"  
  
As he began to slowly nod, his face lit up.  
  
"No WAY!?"  
  
"Gohan, what's wrong?" Who is it?"  
  
"TRUNKS IS BACK!!!"  
  
He shot from his chair and out the door.  
  
"HOLD IT GOHAN!"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Is this the older Trunks from the future?"  
  
"Yeah. Why?"  
  
"Tell him thank you for me, okay?"  
  
Gohan smiled and blasted off.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Okay, here comes the fun part, Exit."  
  
"Trunks, what's going to happen?"  
  
"Nothing much. It's just a good thing we didn't eat before we left."  
  
Bulma could already tell why. The colors around them were changing to thousands of differant combinations. Then, she suddenly felt like she was being stretched then shrunk. It felt like she was a balloon being preped for inflation. She grabed onto Trunks hand.  
  
"It's okay mom. Just stare at one spot and don't think about too much."  
  
Well, the second part was impossible but she stared at the controls as the motions continued.  
  
"I'd plug your ears."  
  
Bulma didn't ask questions as her hand shot up to her head. She closed her eyes as a ear shattering blast hit them. Trunks grit his teeth. His ears were used to it but he still didn't like it. The noise died and Bulma unplugged her ears.  
  
"I call that the Last Stop Whistle."  
  
"Are we through?"  
  
"Nope. Now we Exit. Look."  
  
The colors swirled and spun. Then the tunnel came to a swift and sudden end. There was no impact. Only a quick period of weightlessness then a giant rip opened up infront of them and they blasted into the normal sky. Only when they came to an immediate stop did they fell like they hit anything. Bulma almost pitched straight through the dome. She sat there, stunned and scared.  
  
"It's okay mom. It's over."  
  
He took her hand. She was breathing pretty heavy. Trunks rubbed her hand. She looked over at him.  
  
"Wow."  
  
"I know. I felt the same way when I came the first time."  
  
Bulma was about to speak when the machine started it's desent. She squeezed her sons hand. The nails of her fingers dug into the skin of his hand. Needless to say it hurt, even to a half-sayian. The craft landed and Bulma sat there for a few minutes, catching her breath and getting her sence together.  
  
"You okay now?"  
  
"Yeah. I'm fine now. Let's go."  
  
She unbuckled her seat belt and got to her feet. She almost fell over but Trunks caught her.  
  
"Okay, maybe I'm not fine."  
  
Trunks hit the hatch button and picked up Bulma with one quick motion. He jumped out and landed gracefully on the ground. He was about to put her down when he felt a ki. He almost dropped his mother.  
  
"Trunks are you okay? You look like you saw a ghost."  
  
"I fell that way. It's GOHAN." 


	6. Gohan

Mr. Popo floated saftly down next to Dende. Seven small yellow orbs were stacked neatly in a pile next to him. Each one had a differant number of red stars.  
  
"Here are the Dragonballs you asked for."  
  
"Thank you Mr. Popo."  
  
"You look worried Dende. What is happening with the evil?"  
  
"It's growing Mr. Popo. But I'm worried about something else."  
  
"What Dende?"  
  
"Trunks has returned."  
  
"The one from the future? He was such a nice boy. Is something going to happen to him Dende?"  
  
"I'm afraid so Mr. Popo. When the evil suffaces, I'm worried he's going to get hit hard by it."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Gohan hit the gas and sped as fast as he could toward the powerlevel he had felt. Trunks was back. He regarded the elder Z warrior as a good friend and a brave soul to risk his life to come and help them. Has dad had died in the end but not before tring to save the earth. Trunks saw to that. Gohan remembered the first time he saw Trunks. Only minutes after totally obliterating Freeza and King Kold, he gave sodas to them and acted nothing had happened. He was cool and collected. Gohan soon relized why he came and saw his growth not only as a warrior but as a person. He had gone through the same thing. Finally someone he could talk to that could understand him. Talking to his mother was usless. She meant well though. Picallo was still reeling from the joining of himself and Kami. In battle he was okay but when he let his mind wander, he had trouble keeping focused. Besides, he was more a father figure to Gohan, not a best friend. Vegeta was out of the question, Krillan was building his life with #18 and Yamcha was married. Tein and Chousu hadn't been seen in months. He had been bottling all his thoughts and been constrating on finding his brother to help keep them at bay. He got so wraped up in his thoughts he didn't see the ship until he was right on top of it. He looked down to see the small craft and a lavender haired man holding someone in his arms.  
  
"GOHAN!!!"  
  
The flying teen blasted toward the ground and nearly creamed into the two on the ground.  
  
"Trunks! It's really you!"  
  
"Yeah! How you been?"  
  
"Great! I senced your power level and almost blew the roof off the house."  
  
"Hah hah. I bet."  
  
Gohan suddenly saw the face of the person he was holding and his eyes nearly droped out of his head. It was Bulma! But then it wasn't. For one, she was dressed in a outfit he KNEW the Bulma he knew didn't have. It was a orenge jumpsuit with a black Capsule Corp patch and an orenge cap on her head. Then she saw how long her hair was, WAY too long. It was down to the middle of her back tied in a hair-fast piece of material, much like Trunks'. Then she saw the deep lines on her face where age had scared her. She seemed harder, colder, and warn down. She gave the small Z warrior a small and heart-felt smile.  
  
"Gohan. So good to see you. Trunks you can put me down."  
  
The son obayed and sent her softly on her feet. She drew near to Gohan.  
  
"I heard about Goku. I'm Bulma from the future."  
  
"I know. You Trunks' mom, his real mom. Your the only thing he talked about when he was in the past."  
  
"Really."  
  
She turned and gave a look to Trunks. He knew she would do nothing but torture him about that one little sentence once they got home.  
  
"I'm glad your here Trunks. I got great news."  
  
"What Vegeta got a spine transplant?"  
  
Trunks almost laughed but he sucked it back in at the last second.  
  
"No. I have a little brother! My mom had him a month ago."  
  
"That's incredible! You must be one proud older brother. I know Trunks would be."  
  
"You got that right. Congrads Gohan. What's his name?"  
  
"Well........... We don't know yet because I have to name him. My mom let me, but I can't think of anything. I'm busting my brain to make a good one."  
  
Bulma put her hand on Gohan's shoulder.  
  
"I'm sure what ever name you give him, it will be."  
  
"Thanks Bulma. Anyway, what are you guys DOING here? Is something bad going to happen in the future?"  
  
"Hey! Just because I show up suddenly i'm the bringger of doom."  
  
"I'm just talking out of experiance."  
  
This time Trunks did laugh.  
  
"Acually, were here on vacation." Bulma said.  
  
"How long are you guys staying?"  
  
"Good question. Well the power cells will be good for a month before they start to vent so a month or two at the most."  
  
"Cool! Everything pretty boring around here. The tournament is coming up in five months so maybe if you come back then you can compete."  
  
"Sounds fun. My times pretty quiet too. Nothing to speak of after destroying the androids."  
  
"What about Cell?"  
  
"We better get moving. The suns going down I want to hit Capsule Corp. before dusk. Mom, You want me to fly you?"  
  
"Oh, sure Trunks. Let me shrink Faith and we'll go."  
  
"Faith. Cool name."  
  
"It was mom's idea."  
  
"Now Trunks I can't take all the credit." She said as she pushed the trigger and the Faith went from a ship, to a puff of smoke to a capsule. "You helped me build her."  
  
"Shall we?"  
  
"Let's."  
  
Trunks carefully wraped his arms around her and floated into the air. Gohan followed.  
  
"Now Trunks, be carefull. I haven't all got over my trip though time."  
  
Trunks gave a small chuckle. An evil, childish chuckle Vegeta had given her right before.....  
  
"Trunks don't you dare!"  
  
"YEHAH!!!"  
  
Hit switched into super sayian mode and hit the troddle.  
  
"TTTTTTRRRRRUUUUUUUUuuuuuunnnnnnnnnkkkkkkksssss!" 


	7. Vegeta

Young Trunks played quietly on the floor behind his mother. Bulma, meanwhile was tipping furiously on the keys in her lab.  
  
"Momma, can I go outside?"  
  
There was no answer from his mother. He was old enough now to relize no answer ment 'go ahead'. He walked to the front door and pulled down the handle. Someone on the otherside pushed open the door. Young Trunks froze solid at the sight.  
  
"Is your mom here?" The mysterious man asked.  
  
The young boy only nodded and pointed. He eyes never left the strange man who walked into his house. The young boy followed him as he walked up to his mother who was still typing.  
  
"Oh, I didn't know we were having company."  
  
Bulma's mother walked in the room and saw elder Trunks. Bulma turned around from her work and her eyes nearly bugged out of her head.  
  
"Trunks?"  
  
"Mommy?" The young one said as he heard his name.  
  
Bulma looked down and picked up the small boy.  
  
"I can't belive your back! How have you been?"  
  
"Can't complain. I brought someone with me." He turned he head to the woman behind him who was cowaring behind her son. She walked into view.  
  
"Mommy?" The young one said as he saw the meak woman behind his elder.  
  
"No, little one. I'm not. But I used to be."  
  
Elder Bulma rubbed the small boys hair. She smiled and went back to her own son.  
  
"Why are you both here? Is something wrong in the future?"  
  
Trunks sagged and rolled his eyes. He almost told her off but stoped himself.  
  
"No everythings fine. My mom just wanted to see how everyones doing and to take a vacation from all the rebuilding going on."  
  
"I'll make some tea." Bulma mother said politely.  
  
The phone rang and Bulma put her son down and picked up the phone.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey Bulma. It's Gohan. Is big Trunks still there?"  
  
"Yes. Why?"  
  
"Can I talk to him?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
Bulma handed her elder son the phone.  
  
"It's Gohan."  
  
"Yes Gohan. What do you need?"  
  
"I called Krillan and #18 at Kami house. They both want to come but #18 was worried about your mom. She hates what her future counterpart did to your world. She wants to know if it's okay with your mom."  
  
"Oh. I don't know I'll have to talk to her. Well probably go to Kami House tommarow if she's cool with it. Can you pass down the message?"  
  
"No problem. Mom and I are coming to Capsule Corp in the morning. She wants to show you my little brother. Still working on his name."  
  
"Okay. Seeya Gohan." He hung up the phone. "Gohan and Chi-chi are coming with the little guy in the morning."  
  
"Is Gohan coming momma?"  
  
"Yes Trunks."  
  
"I'm going to tell papa."  
  
"Be careful Trunks."  
  
Young Trunks ran out the door. Elder Bulma squeezed her son's hand.  
  
"Go with him."  
  
Trunks nodded and followed the young boy.  
  
"He has grown up so much but even now I still see him as you see your own son. A small boy with not a care in the world." Elder Bulma said as she sat down on the coutch.  
  
"I hope my son can grow up to be just as strong as yours. He's very brave and he cares alot about you."  
  
"I know."  
  
Bulma could see the scars of pain and age in her. Was she going to turn into this when she grows old? No. This Bulma had suffered much more pain then herself. She would be spared the of seeing her son hurt everyday of his life. She would not know that pain.  
  
"YOU!"  
  
Bulma and her elder sprang up. Bulma ran out the door to see what was happening. Her elder stopped and sat back down. She was in no hurry to she Vegeta.  
  
"Go dad!" Young Trunks shouted as Bulma rounded the corner.  
  
"Hey! Who's side are you on?" Elder Trunks said right before his dodged a blow from Vegeta.  
  
The second blow knocked Trunks backwards. Vegeta flew over and came forward with his fist and.......stopped.  
  
"You're getting soft boy."  
  
He backed away and let elder Trunks get up.  
  
"Okay, okay. You won. Rebuilding must be wearing me down more then I thought."  
  
"VEGETA! Don't you be picking on your older son. He came here to relax, not to get beat up."  
  
"It's okay. I asked for it. I snuck up behind him and scared him."  
  
"I NEVER GET SCARED!!!"  
  
Trunks almost came back with 'you sure jumped pretty high' but instead just rolled his eyes. He walked back in the house and saw his mother sitting neatly on the coutch, sipping the tea she had been given. Trunks didn't have to read minds to telll she was worried. He sat down next to her and took her hand.  
  
"Come on. I know you want to see him. I'll be right there. Okay?"  
  
Bulma kissed his sons forhead and stod up. He held her hand as he lead her outside.  
  
"Papa, your the coolest."  
  
"Of course. Your father is the strongest person on the planet!"  
  
Trunks nearly broke in with 'now, if you want to get technical......' speech, but his grip on his mother wouldn't let him. Bulma saw her older son come back out with two extra feet. Elder Bulma peeked around her son and saw him. Her heart was screaming 'VEGETA!!' and tried to pull her into his arms but her eyes and her mind were screaming 'NOT ANYMORE!!!'. Vegeta saw her for the first time. She smiled sweety but said nothing. He looked over at his wife and down to his son then back to the other woman. She coward back behind Trunks.  
  
"It's alright Trunks. I saw him. He is happy. That's all I care about. Let's go back inside."  
  
"Alright."  
  
Elder Trunks gave a dismissing nod to Vegeta and returned back into the house with his mother.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Bulma fixed a smalll toy for her son at her desk.  
  
"Almost finished Trunks."  
  
She twisted the last bolt into place and handed it to the small boy.  
  
"Your the coolest mom."  
  
Trunks smiled at her. She smiled big. When her eyes opened Trunks was gone.  
  
"Trunks? Trunks!"  
  
She heard sobs from the living room. She ran in to find her son crying on the couch. He was a teenager now.  
  
"No! Gohan!"  
  
Bulma wrapped her arms around him just like she had done that day.  
  
"It's okay Trunks everythings fine."  
  
"Thanks mommy!"  
  
She now held little Trunks in her arms. She kissed him on the head.  
  
"How cute."  
  
She turned around and saw two people standing in her home. A boy with black hair and a girl with blonde hair.   
  
"Androids!"  
  
"I'll get 'em mom!"  
  
"No Trunks." She said to her grown-up son.  
  
Trunks flew at #17 and vanished in a puff of purple smoke along with #18. The home around her melted into an abyss of red. Blood red.  
  
"What have you done?! Give me back my son!"  
  
"In due time. First, answer me this: what form should I take?"  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"I'm not the andriod I look as now. I took this form to see how your mind would react. I can take on the form of your son if you wish."  
  
The vision of #17 melted into the form of her son.  
  
"Hey mom."  
  
"Trunks? Oh thank goodness."  
  
"You don't get it do you. I'm not Trunks. Or the andriod. Or this."  
  
Trunks melted away to form Vegeta.  
  
"You see. It's your choice. Pick which form I take."  
  
"What are you?"  
  
"What ever you choose."  
  
"WHO are you?"  
  
"Same answer."  
  
"Can you become me?"  
  
The figure of Vegeta smirked then melted into Bulma's shape.  
  
"That's amazing."  
  
"Thank you. So, which form do you find most comfortable talking to?"  
  
Bulma thought for a minute.  
  
"Chi-chi. I mean can you..."  
  
Without a second hesitation the figure became what she asked.  
  
"Now, we talk business." 


	8. Tainted

"Business? About what?"  
  
"I didn't just enter your mind to play a game of shurades. I came to talk about a mission I have for you."  
  
"What kind of mission?"  
  
"First the reward: I will, for you, change the threads of time and space to give this to you. I can put you in this world. This painfree world were you can live forever."  
  
"But what about the Bulma and Trunks that are already here?"  
  
"They will be erased and be replaced by you and your own son. They will belive you were always there and there was no other Bulma."  
  
"What's the catch?"  
  
"You ARE smart. Yes, there is a price. Just a small one though something YOU could manage. I want you...... to destroy the Dragonballs."  
  
"Never. The Dragonballs help us save our fallen comrads. I would never destroy them."  
  
"Think about it. I new life, free of destruction. You would never need them. Why would you? You friends would all be alive. No need to wish them back. Anyway, isn't it so hard to find them when you need them?"  
  
"I...... never thought of it that way."  
  
"You see? So, will you do it? For your son?"  
  
"I want a promise from you."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"My son will be safe from harm."  
  
"Fine. I promise."  
  
"I want your word."  
  
"Alright. I swear by my real name no harm will come of your son by my hand."  
  
Bulma nodded to the vision of Chi-chi.  
  
"What now?"  
  
"You wake up."  
  
Chi-chi snapped her fingers.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Elder Bulma shot up. She was wearing a set of night clothes and sitting on the couch wrapped in a blanket. She looked over and saw her son fast asleep on the floor. He look like he had fainted and went to sleep the way he was haphazardly laid. Bulma got up and kissed him on the forehead. His eyes fluttered open.  
  
"Mom?"  
  
"It's okay Trunks. Go back to sleep."  
  
"You okay?"  
  
"Not really but you need your sleep."  
  
"I'm okay. If you need to talk."  
  
"It's just........ I had a wierd dream."  
  
"What about?"  
  
"You mostly. You kept getting young then older. Like you were a little boy and your grown-up self."  
  
She looked at his curious face.  
  
"Much like you always have been. Anyway, the andriods showed up."  
  
"The andriods! what happened?"  
  
"You attacked #17 and..... disappeared. But the andriod wasn't really the andriod it was something else."  
  
"Something else?"  
  
"It was a shapeshifter or something like that. He kept changing into differant people we know. Then it asked me to......."  
  
"To what?"  
  
"To take good care of you and not to worry about you like I do. I told him the second part was immposible. I'll always worry about you."  
  
Bulma kissed him again on the forehead and laid back down. He laid back down and they both closed there eyes.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hey Trunks! Is big Trunks here?"  
  
"With papa in the big ship."  
  
"Thanks Trunks."  
  
Gohan peeked into the gravity chamber. Vegeta and Trunks were busy blooding eachother. They were both in super sayian mode and totally covered with bruises and cuts. Vegeta had put the gravity on 500 Gs and set the 10 hoverbots on 'kill on sight' so neadless to say, Trunks was having fun.  
  
"What's wrong boy, can't take it?"  
  
"I hate to tell you this papa, but I LET you win yesterday."  
  
"LIER!"  
  
Trunks got a nice hit in the face for that one but he came around with a roundhouse to Vegeta's back, knocking him into the side of the ship. Two bots fired at Vegeta once he hit, giving Vegeta slim to none chance of not getting killed. Fortunatly for us, he got lucky. He powered up a ki blast which easy vaporized the shots within it. The blast got bigger.  
  
"DIE!"  
  
Vegeta fired at Trunks.  
  
"YAAAAAAHHHHHH!"  
  
Trunks flew at the blast and slammed his elbow into it. The energy burned his skin raw. He came forward with his other arm and focus enegy in it. He built up a ki wave and fired point black at Vegeta, pushing his fathers blast back too. Gohan saw what was coming and ran for it.The two energy blast hit Vegeta and he screamed. The side of the ship grew hot with the energy then exploded. The gravity shorted out and Trunks suddenly relized what he did.  
  
"Papa! Oh no."  
  
He rushed down to the rubble. He threw the pieces out of the way franticly searching for his father. He lifted a large piece of metal and saw the unsuper sayian body of Vegeta. He gave a raspy couch and opened his two black eyes.  
  
"Oh thank Dende."  
  
"I don't need your help." Vegeta said with a raspy weak tone.  
  
"Nice try. Give me your arm."  
  
Vegeta didn't have the strength to argue so he offered his arm to his elder son. Trunks helped him to his feet. Vegeta limped back into the house with Trunks just barly walking himself.  
  
"Looks like you could use a senzu bean. I figured you two would get streight to training so I brought some of my own."  
  
He handed two to Vegeta who greedily ate them.  
  
"Here Trunks."  
  
Trunks swallowed the small bean and felt his strength return. He was still black and blue but he felt better. They all went in the house.   
  
"Hey Trunks, were'd your mom go? My mom wants to meet her."  
  
Trunks half-calapsed onto the couch. Vegeta sank into his chair. Chi-chi and Bulma came into the living room, each holding there son.  
  
"Hey mom." Gohan said as he ran up to her.  
  
"Hi sweetheart. Why Trunks, your looking awful. Why is it men always have to fight eachother right after they see eachother?"  
  
"Don't be hard on them mom. Trunks is bored. So is Vegeta. Fighting is just are way of sizing eachother up."  
  
"And besides, it's fun!"  
  
"Mommy, can I play with Gohan's little brother?"  
  
"No Trunks, he's still to little. Maybe when he gets a little older."  
  
"No name yet Gohan?" Elder said as he pulled his chard shoes off.  
  
"Nope. It's pathatic isn't it?"  
  
"Na. You just don't have the right inspiration yet. It's like writing, you just have a bad case of writer's block. The best cure is to do anything but write. I would spar with you but i'm bushed."  
  
"It's okay. So where's your mom?"  
  
"She's not in here? That's weird. I better go see where she went to."  
  
"I'll go with you."  
  
Trunks pulled out a capsule from his pocket.  
  
"I'm gonna change reall fast."  
  
"I'll wait outside."  
  
"I'm going to."  
  
Gohan and Trunks both looked at Vegeta like he had just said he didn't hate Goku.  
  
"Don't look at me like that! It's still Bulma."  
  
"Okay, but I'd change if I were you."  
  
Vegeta spat at Trunks remark but got up anyway. After they left, Gohan looked at the two woman.  
  
"I have a bad felling about this."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Mr. Popo you still have the Dragonballs?"  
  
"Don't worry Dende. There totally safe with me."  
  
"The evil........ it's coming."  
  
"Oh my! Is it coming here?"  
  
"Not that I know. The evil knows it's being tracked it's covering itself. It's getting ready to strike."  
  
"Is it time to warn the others?"  
  
"No not yet. If the evil sences they're on alert, it'll be impossible to find."  
  
Suddenly Mr. Popo heard something.  
  
"Someone's coming. It sounds like a...... plane."  
  
"I hear it to. I'll check."  
  
Dende's sences bounced off the craft like sonar.  
  
"It's Bulma. She must be coming for somemore senzu beans."  
  
The plane come to the platform and landed. The door opened and out stepped a woman. Dende was shocked at what he saw. It was Bulma, but not Bulma. Something was differant about her.  
  
"Hello guys." 


	9. Hate

Dende walked up to her slowly, still unsure about her.  
  
"Hi Bulma. You came here for sunzu beans? Korin should be in his normal spot on the tower."  
  
"I'm not here for senzu beans. I'm here for the Dragonballs."  
  
Her eyes were cold. She had a hardness to her that Dende wasn't used to. She recked of pain and angush.  
  
"Excuse me? Did you say the Dragonballs?"  
  
"Yes. I want to make a wish on them."  
  
Dende was in a fix. The Dragonballs were being saved if the evil took out one of his friends but he didn't want to let on that an evil was even coming, to keep the evil from putting defences against his tracking.  
  
"Um, were going to use them soon ourselves. Were just waiting for King Yama to give us the okay for it."  
  
"Your lying." She said bluntly.  
  
Dende looked even more worried now. He need a scapegoat, and fast.  
  
"Why do you want the Dragonballs?"  
  
"Why should you care? The dragonballs are free to everyone if you can find them. We went through hell on Namek, Dende, but that was a long time ago. The Nameks abandoned us. They ran like cowards when the andriods came. They could have helped. They could have wished back Picallo, but they didn't. They ran and we were lefted to die. I didn't hate them at first, I didn't have time to hate. I watched as my friends were picked off one after anouther. First Picallo, then Yamcha, then Tien and Chousu. Then.....then..... Vegeta. Krillen was the last one. They attacked Capsule Corp. I ran with Trunks. I heard krillen scream as my feet left my home. Gohan found us. Trunks didn't cry. He knew as a baby, a cry ment they heard you. I saw the body of my last friend lying on the ground. It's still etched into my mind. THEY BURNED HIS EYES OUT! I was alone. No more partys. No more happy days. Chi-chi, Gohan, Ox King, my parents and my son. But we were still not safe. Never safe from them. My mother died coming home. They thought it would be fun to blow up the building she was in. My dad.... he died of the stress. Gohan..... he died of his heroism. Trunks was lucky. He could use that pain to become a powerful super sayian. But I can't. I'm only human. I'm human on the outside but a mass of pain and hatred within. I've waited too long in the chard, broken world of the future. It's my turn to show rage. Now, Get OUt of my WAYYYY!"  
  
She threw Dende out of the way and dashed for the dragonballs on Mr. Popo's carpet. Mr. popo couldn't react in time. Her eyes were pure rage and anger as she grabed the Dragonball from his care. Dende looked in horror as she ran for the nearby white post, ready to smash it.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Trunks flew on, determined to find his mother. He had already been to Kame house but she hadn't been there. It was both a blessing and a curse. He desided it was a long shot but would try it anyway. Dende has a bird's eye view to the planet, maybe he could find her. As he shot up the side of the tower he heard an angry voice yell. He instantly went Super Sayian and charged up. Something was up, something bad. He grabed the edge of the tower and spun forward, shotting himself across the lookout. He saw his mother running, then what she had in her hand.  
  
"MOM NOOOOO!"  
  
Dende cringed, he couldn't watch the dragonball be destoryed.  
  
"Trunks! Let go of me!"  
  
Dende opened his eyes and was stuned. Trunks had Bulma around her waist and one hand safely around the dragonball.  
  
"No! I'm not leting go until you tell me what's going on."  
  
"I.......I....I can't.....Trunks, I....."  
  
Bumla colapsed from mental exaustion.Trunks took the dragonball from her hands and Mr. Popo came to claim it. Dende huried away with Mr. Popo to find a safer place to keep the dragonballs. Trunks scooped up Bulma and levetated into the air. For the first time in a long time, he was truely scared. 


	10. Even

Bulma opened her eyes and she was in a familiar setting.  
  
"You failed me."  
  
She turned around and saw Chi-chi standing there, but knew full well it wasn't her.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry. I tried. Trunks stopped me. I couldn't tell him the truth."  
  
"So you fainted, to keep him from asking questions. A last ditch effort. Your weak. Maybe I was wrong about you. You don't have the power or the guts to do what I ask. Maybe I should get someone else to do it for me."  
  
"NO! wait. I'll do it. I'll do it."  
  
"I can see right through you. You're trying to hide your weakness behind your confidence. Your confidence and strong will hide your physical weakness and fear. But I'll give you one better. Even though my power is limited, I can still give you something to even the playing field. I can't make you a super sayian, but I can give you this."  
  
She held out her hand and a dark light consumed her hand. Soon, the light dimmed and she held a small black chain bracelet.  
  
"Here, take this. It is a bracelet of power. You can use it to control ki. It will also connect you to me when you are awake."  
  
"Is it safe?"  
  
"Absolutly! It's not a leash. I can't control you with it. I'm not that cruel."  
  
"Alright." Bulma said as she took the bracelet from Chi-chi's hands.  
  
When the bracelet was put on her wrist, power surged through her. She felt like her whole body was on fire.  
  
"Don't worry, you'll be alright. It's only a mild side affect it'll ware off."  
  
The felling ebbed and she looked at the bracelet. Now, NOONE would get in her way.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"So what happened?" Krillan asked as he sat down on his couch.  
  
"I don't know. She ask to make a wish and when I told her no, she snapped. She just started talking about her past and all the stuff that happened to her. It was awful. Then she tried to break the Dragonball. I'm positive she would have destroyed it if Trunks' hadn't have been there."  
  
"Where is she now?"  
  
"Trunks took her back to Capsule Corp. I'm really worried about her."  
  
#18 Got up and walked outside. She sat down on the beach and looked into sea.  
  
"What is the matter 18?"  
  
"Oh, I'm just thinking Mr. Popo. This is the first time I felt helpless. The Bulma I know is so carefree, but I know that this Bulma will only see me as a horrible monster."  
  
"It is not your doing #18. She has had this hate in her for a long time."  
  
"But that's just it. It is my doing. Not me personaly but my future self. If Cell hadn't have shown up and..... tried to kill me, I would have gone right on killing. I wouldn't be a wife, a friend. I haven't felt this powerless in so long. It hurts."  
  
"I can see why you are sad. Maybe if you talk to Trunks, he can go with you to see her. Maybe you can talk to her and she can see your not the person she thinks you are."  
  
"Maybe your right Mr. Popo."  
  
He smiled and walked back into the house.  
  
"Maybe." 


	11. Games

Bulma opened her eyes and saw her son sleeping calmly next to her in his father's chair. She was about to get up when Vegeta walked in the room. She closed her eyes and hoped he wouldn't notice her rising. He walked over and looked at the grown man that lay passed out in his chair. Bulma peeked open her eyes and watched in silence.   
  
"The boy can't even pass out like a sayian. He hasn't changed a bit."  
  
The sayian prince picked up a blanket of the floor and spred it across his future son. He looked again at him and smiled. A smile of pride and happiness at how much the boy had become a man, but was still a boy at heart. Vegeta turn and began to leave.  
  
"I know you're not sleeping."  
  
Bulma lifted her head up and looked at him. He refused to look back.  
  
"Know this, you're the only thing he talked about when he was here. If something bad happens to Trunks,"  
  
His black eyes turned and locked on her.  
  
"I'll never forgive you."  
  
He turned and was gone into the hallway. Bulma was left alone with her son. She felt something on her wrist and looked down to see the bracelet. She tucked it underneath her sleve and went back to sleep.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Mom? Mom. Mom are you okay?"  
  
Bulma snapped out of her trace and looked over at Trunks. He was holding onto her arm. They were flying to Goku's house with little Trunks and his parents.  
  
"Oh yes Trunks I'm fine. I'm just thinking about home. There probably almost finished on Orion Complex."  
  
"What's that?" Bulma said as she piloted the ship.  
  
"Oval Complex is a part of the city were building next. West City was obliterated by the andriods along with all the other cities. We are rebuilding now. The new sections we call Complexes. There's Grand, Orion, Heron, Aero and Nexus Complex. Grand's already finished with people moving in everyday. I can't wait till the cities totally done. Son City will be our greatest achivement."  
  
"Son City. You named it after Goku didn't you?"  
  
"Goku and Gohan. They both saved us, in more ways then one."  
  
Elder Bulma sat quietly for a while as the craft flew though the air. Vegeta sat in a little corner, his indifferant expression on his face. Little Trunks walked over to his elder counterpart.  
  
"Big Trunks want to play?" The little boy asked as he held up a toy boxing arena, the one with the red and blue robot men.  
  
"Sure little dude."  
  
They sat down together and exchanged plastic blows. The blue head of Elder's boxer popped up and he gasped.  
  
"You BEAT me. No fair."  
  
Little Trunks laughed.  
  
"This calls for retaliation. Tickle style!" Elder Trunks said as he reached over and grabbed the boy.  
  
They both erupted in laughter as the older boy tickled the young one.  
  
"Can't you two shut up?!"  
  
The laughter stopped as they both looked over at Vegeta, the source of the scoulding.  
  
"Can't you quit that annoying racket. You two act like a bunch of wild idiots."  
  
"Oh leave them alone Vegeta. Let the boy's play."  
  
"Fine."  
  
Vegeta spun himself tighter in his web of spite and ego. Elder Trunks gave the little one a nuggie and they both leaned up against the side of the ship and sighed in unison.  
  
"Hey guys, I'm getting someone on radar."  
  
"Who is it?" Elder Trunks said as he pilled into the passanger seat.  
  
"Let's see......uh oh."  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing, I'm just going to raise the altitude."  
  
"Is it her?" Trunks asked Bulma under his breath.  
  
She only nodded.  
  
"Is she alone?"  
  
Anouther nod.  
  
"Who is it?" Elder Bulma asked.  
  
"No one Mom. The radars just acting funny. I'm going up."  
  
She increased the altitude but the being was going nowhere. She flew in beside the craft and escorted them the rest of the way the the Son home. She landed and Bulma got out of the driver side.  
  
"#18? What are you doing here?"  
  
Trunks pilled out behind her.  
  
"It's not a good idea for you to be here. My mom will flip if she sees you."  
  
"I know. I don't care. I don't want this on my consionous anymore. If she hates me, I'm fine with that. I just want to apoligize for all my future half has done. I would have come out just the same if Cell hadn't have tried to kill me. I want to show her I'm not all bad."  
  
"You'll always be all bad."  
  
Trunks turned around to see his mother. Her eyes were thirsty for blood.  
  
"I you and that bastard brother of yours turned my world into a shooting galary. I don't accept your apoligy. In fact, here's what I think of your apoligy." 


	12. Attack

Elder Bulma screamed in rage and charged headlong at #18. Her speed caught #18 totally of guard and landed her fist in #18's face. The impact sent her flying though three trees and into the boulder. Trunks couldn't believe what he just saw. Vegeta was paying attention now.  
  
"Mom don't!"  
  
Trunks was about to go after her when Vegeta grabbed his arm.  
  
"Dad let me go!"  
  
"Listen to me right now boy! Somethings definately wrong with her but you can do nothing right now. She needs to get this out of her. Something's feeding of her anger. That can't be her own trained strength, it's too wild. We can't stop her with that kind of power."  
  
"I don't care! I need to help her."  
  
#18 staggered to her knees, right before anouther pummel by Bulma. Bulma then grabbed #18's neck and pounded her into the ground and beat her face in with her other hand. #18 had had enough. She sung her leg around and hooked Bulma in the side. She tumbled off her pray. She dug her nails in the ground.  
  
"I'll kill you beast. For destroying my LIFE!!!!"  
  
She flung herself at #18. The blonde woman was having a time keeping up with Bulma's blind punches.  
  
"Bulma stop please! I don't want to fight you!"  
  
"But I do!"  
  
Bulma hit #18 in the side of the face, forcing her to the ground again. #18 reacted by flinging Bulma into the air with a ki blast. #18 couldn't believe what happened next. Bulma grabbed the energy with her bare hands, spun around and flung it back at #18. #18 had time to move but not far enough to miss the explosion the blast caused. Bulma went after her again.  
  
"Mom! Stop!"  
  
Trunks charged at his mother and grabbed her.  
  
"Trunks let me go!"  
  
"Not a chance! I'm not going to let you destroy #18! She's done nothing to you!"  
  
"LIER! She destroyed our home! She's going to pay and your not getting in my way again!"  
  
Her bracelet burned with power. She grabed Trunks by his hair, pulled his head to the side and punched him in the jaw as hard as she could.He let go out of the pain in his mouth. She spun around with one leg and kicked him in the side of the head, knocking him unconsious. She watched him fall to the ground. A tear ran down her face as she put out her arm. The bracelet throbed with power. She let energy fly from her hand. The purple ball consumed Trunks, wrapping him in a dark energy field.  
  
"Now, you can't get hurt anymore."  
  
Her eyes fell on #18. The cyborg looked back at her. #18 knew how serious this was now. Only one of them was leaving alive.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Vegeta watched as Trunks was incased by the energy. He saw Gohan getting ready to take off after Trunks and flew infront of him.  
  
"If you don't want the same thing happening to you, PARK IT!"  
  
Gohan took one look in Vegeta's eyes and backed off.  
  
"Woman, call the short, bald one. He needs to get here. And you boy, if you want to help, find both the Nameks. The short one may be useful. Also, tell your mother to get some senzu beans ready, were going to need them."  
  
Bulma and Gohan nodded to there unoffical leader. Vegeta looked behind him at his young son.  
  
"And you," he said as the boy looked at him. "Play with your toys."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Bulma charged headlong at #18 and they exchanged blows. #18 was starting to fell Bulma's rhythem, making it harder for the attacker to hit the attackee. #18 Waited for a pocket and landed a punch staight on Bulma stomach sending her back a bit then kicked her into the ground.  
  
"That's for the black eye you gave me."  
  
Bulma got ready to get up but a voice in her head made her stop.  
  
(Bulma! Listen to me! You bracelet not only let's you control energy. It can manafest objects for you to use. Just think about what you need and it will come. Try it out!)  
  
Bulma thought a second and two wrenches appeared in front of her. She took them in her hands. She smirked a nasty, evil at #18 and went at her again.  
  
"It's time to take you apart ANDROID!"  
  
The wrenches hammered and sliced at #18. She finally was able to rip them from Bulma's hands and hit her in the head with them. She threw the wrenches to the ground. Bulma got back up.  
  
(Try this: focus your energy on the wrenches. Can you say 'bullseye'?)  
  
She obayed the drak voice in her mind. The wrenches flew at #18. She turned just in time to see them dig in her side and explode. The ground came offly fast to her. She could barely get up. Bulma marched over to her. She saw the brused and blooded woman standing before her.  
  
"Is that real blood or just antifreeze?"  
  
"You really do hate what I am that much."  
  
"Yes, I really do."  
  
"Fine then. I won't hold back. For the man I love."  
  
"Neather will I. For the man you KILLED!!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	13. Truth

Krillan was sitting lazily on the couch when the phone rang. He stumbed over and picked it up.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Krillen! Get the Chi-chi's house NOW! #18's in trouble!"  
  
He didn't answer back. He slammed down the phone and blasted out the door.  
  
"Oh no. We better go after him Mr. Popo. They may need our help."  
  
"What about the Dragonballs Dende?"  
  
"I'll look after them." Master Roshi said as he walked in the door.  
  
Dende nodded and flew out the door on Mr. Popo's carpet.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Gohan was looking up and down but still no sign of his mentor.  
  
"Picallo! We need your help! Where are you!?"  
  
"Gohan?"  
  
The namek flew up to him.  
  
"Picallo, we got a HUGE problem."  
  
"I know. I've been sencing a strong ki but the signature can't be right."  
  
"Let me guess: Bulma with a dark ki mixed in."  
  
"Yeah, you senced it too huh?"  
  
"Senced it isn't the word. I saw it. It's Future Trunks' mother. He came here with her. First she tried to destroy the Dragonballs, now she went after #18. Vegeta says the power she has isn't natural. Do you think somethings controlling her?"  
  
"Not something, someone. We have to hurry. Let's go."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Krillan landed at Chi-chi's house and franticly started looking for his girlfriend.  
  
"Krillan! In here!"  
  
He followed the source and found Chi-chi and Bulma sitting with Trunks on the front room.  
  
"Guys, where's #18?!"  
  
"She's alive, for now." Vegeta said and he came out from behind the door.  
  
"Vegeta. What did you do? #18 apoligized for breaking your arm."  
  
"She also tried to apoligize to my elder son's mother, landing her in a battle."  
  
"I have to go help her!"  
  
"Your going nowhere. Bulma attacked her own son. She won't hesitate to take you out as well. #18 needs backup, not a distraction."  
  
"What are we supposed to do? Wait til she gets killed!?"  
  
"No, just until the Nameks get here. Then were going to find them. If #18 hasn't lost her touch, she'll still be alive when we get there."  
  
"Check off one Namek." Dende said as he walked in with Mr. Popo.  
  
"The Dragonballs are safe with The Turtle Master." Mr. Popo said, thinking ahead to the group question.  
  
"Dende, you said Bulma was hurt by your healing power right?" Krillan asked.  
  
"Yes, but I don't know why."  
  
"I do." Picallo said as he walked in.  
  
"There's the other one."  
  
Ignoring Vegeta's slide comment, Picallo went on.  
  
"Only a being of pure darkness can be hurt by Dende's power. Centuries ago, the power was used not only to heal but to drive evil spirits from Nameks, eradicating there darkness and making Nameks a race of goodness. I hoped she would never surface again."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Eries."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
#18 and Bulma faced off again, each with increadible strength and speed. The female factor was non-existant now, they didn't care how bloody they got, as long as they won. Bulma had a black eye, bruses on her chest and side, and multiple sore spots. #18 didn't look much better. Bulma flew above her and manifested a flet of buzz saws. They fired at #18. She swerved and curcled, trying to get them off her tail. Finally they cornered her against a rockwall. She covered her face with her hands.  
  
"HA!!!!!"  
  
Two strecks of blue light disintagrated the buzz saws. Elder Bulma looked down to see Krillan and Gohan standing in the familiar stance. Vegeta stood behind them, arms crossed but with a look of disappointment on his face. Disappointment at her.  
  
"Stay out of this!"  
  
"We intend to," Vegeta said, "Until you try to kill #18. Then, we stop you."  
  
Picallo steped forward with Dende and Mr. Popo.  
  
"That goes for us too."  
  
"So you want to stop me? You couldn't stop me before Kami. Yes, I know it's you. I can smell you from here."  
  
It wasn't Bulma's voice they heard. It was much darker. She held out her hand with the bracelet and manefested a tool to take down the new pests. It looked like a harmless wratchit wrench, until she extended the end out to a full size staff. She spun it in her hand. Her face was twisted into a sadistic smile. Her eyes turned to #18.  
  
"You die now."  
  
#18 braced herself for anouther relentless attack from Bulma. The staff pummeled the poor blonde's body. Bulma twisted it around her own body and knocked #18 across the side of her head. A gash appeared and bleed across her face. #18 fired a ki blast point blank at Bulma. The blast only managed to get bunted out of the way by Bulma. The staff was stabbed into #18 chest and she was thrown up and over Bulma. #18 recovered right before she would have hit the ground. Bulma lunged at #18 again, sharp end of the staff out.  
  
"That's it. I've had enough."  
  
Dende leaped in the way. Bulma recoiled for a second, giving him a opening. He put his hand infront of her face and blasted her with a wave of his healing energy. She flew backwards and landed in a pile on the ground. Her face looked like it had been chard. She could barly open her eyes, let alone see.  
  
"You filthy Namek bastard! I'm blind!"  
  
She raised her arm holding the bracelet in the air and fired a huge dark blast straight at Dende.  
  
"NO!!"  
  
#18 jumped infront of him as the blast struck. Bulma fainted with satasfaction on her face. 


	14. Promise

Bulma stood up and looked around.  
  
"Nicely done. But you didn't kill her."  
  
"What? She's still alive. That blast should have finished her off."  
  
"Hahaha. Listen to yourself. Barely off the ground and your already thristing for blood again. You sound like that sayian husband of yours."  
  
Bulma put her hands to her mouth. She WAS starting to sound like Vegeta.  
  
"What am I doing? I need to sit down."  
  
"Oh, and the boy is fine."  
  
"Trunks? Oh no. I hit him. I've never hit him. Not even as a kid."  
  
She looked like she was going to be sick.  
  
"There there. It's alright. You were protecting him."  
  
Chi-chi put her hands on the shaken woman.  
  
"I lost it, when I saw...... HER."  
  
The bracelet glowed with anger.  
  
"I have to admit, once you got the power, you fit into it quite nicely."  
  
"I can't do this anymore. I keep losing."  
  
"Don't talk like that. Sure, you lost the battle but you will win the war. With my help."  
  
"Thank you. I apriciate all you've done to help me, but I still haven't done what you asked."  
  
"Oh pish posh. I don't care about the Dragonballs anymore."  
  
"Really, but thatwas the whole reason you chose me."  
  
"I know, but what's more important now is your goul. I will help you destroy this vermin in your path, then, we can worry about the Dragonballs. Okay?"  
  
"But what are we going to do now? Dende nearly blinded me. I can't see a damn thing now."  
  
"I know. We just need to juice up your power a bit. That should take care of your injurys."  
  
"Can I ask you something?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Can you train me a bit before I wake up? I need some more practice with these new powers. Sure they come easy, but I don't know all of what I have."  
  
"All right, I will."  
  
"And one more thing, can you become Goku. I fell better if it was him training me. Even if it's not really him."  
  
"Very well."  
  
The form of Chi-chi melted to become to form of her long-time friend.  
  
"Let's begin."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Trunks sat crying by his mother's hospital bed. He hadn't stopped crying for hours. He blammed himself for his mother's injuries. He blammed himself for let her catch him off guard. He blammed himself for what she had done. Someone came in the door. He didn't bother to turn around, he was too busy felling sorry for himself. A strong hand grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.  
  
"Look at me boy. You have to stop right now. I will not have a son of mine blubbering like some idiot. You have to be strong."  
  
Trunks glarred at Vegeta and shot up from his chair and pinned Vegeta against the wall in a choke hold.  
  
"I AM STRONG! You have no idea what im going through. So do what you always do, keep your mouth SHUT!"  
  
Trunks threw him against the corner of the room and was gone out the door. Vegeta was dence about somethings but he knew he crossed the line. Trunks headed out and flew into the air out side. It was starting to get late so the air gave a nice awaking felling to Trunks. He had to talk to someone, ANYONE, that understood what he was going through. But that was just it, no one HAD gone through what he went though. He was alone, utterly alone. He couldn't bare it anymore. He was breaking from the inside and he knew it. He had to get some of this wait off of him. But how? Training did no help. It only made him angry. Talking was useless there was no one to talk to. Everyone was eather recuping from the fight or gone doing there own thing. He relized it almost as he was flying over it that he was subconsiously heading toward Kame House. He needed to talk to #18. To apoligize for what his mother did and maybe to get some answers he desprately needed.  
  
"Trunks! Hey! What are you doing here?!" Krillan said as he flew up to his friend.  
  
"Hey Krillan. I don't know really. I just needed to get out. Something lead me past here and I thought I stop in. How's #18 doing?"  
  
"She's doing better. She woke up a few hours ago but I won't let her leave her bed."  
  
"Mom hasn't woke up. I'm really worried about her. But I'm also worried about #18, don't get me wrong. Mom's acting crazy. It's almost like #18 and my mom switched roles."  
  
"I know what you mean. I never, in a million years, thought Bulma would become what she has."  
  
"I did. Not exactly like this but........ I knew she was reaching a breaking point. When we got here, that felling got worse."  
  
"Hey," Krillan said as he put his hand on Trunks' shoulder, "Don't beat yourself up Trunks. What's done is done. All you can do is be there for your mom when she needs it."  
  
"But that's just it Krillan. How can I be there for her when she pushes me away like this? She nearly killed all of us and I couldn't stop her. Just like I couldn't stop....... Gohan. I'm can't lose my mom, but how can I help her?"  
  
Trunks' eyes were filling with tears.  
  
"I'm powerless. Completly powerless. I hate it. I hate felling this way. I'm so angry but I know my anger creates a power that can't help me. My sayian blood means nothing now. Nothing!"  
  
"If it meant nothing, you wouldn't be here in the first place." A voice said in the hallway.  
  
"#18 you should be out of bed. You know your still injured."  
  
"Oh you! I'm an andriod remember. I can bounce back quite easily from a fight. Though I still have a splitting headache."  
  
She sat down on the couch and beconed Trunks over next to her. He calmly sat down next to her. It felt odd to him, sitting next to her. He looked into her face and saw the bruses still showed there mark. She was more injured then she let on. He sat there looking at her face, a face he had hated for so long. But there was something else in her face. Worry. She was worried about him?  
  
"Trunks, your father means alot to you. That why your here. You wanted to see him again. You wanted to see if you really saved him and your family. The family you have here. That's why you brought her. To show the family you have here, the family you have there."  
  
She put her hand on his.  
  
"Promise me something Trunks. Promise me as not only a warrior but as a member of this family. Promise me, you will protect us. Even if it means killing your mother. Promise me."  
  
Trunks looked into her glossy blue eyes. He knew she didn't expect him to accept it.  
  
"I will." 


End file.
